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| By Laws |
ARTICLE I
Section 1
The name of the Association shall be the Western Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies.
Section 2
The Association shall be organized and operated exclusively to promote the preservation of natural resources and for other charitable and educational purposes within the meaning of 501(c)(4) of the U.S. Internal Revenue Code.
The objectives of the Association shall be:
- To protect the right of jurisdiction of the western states over their wildlife resources on public and private lands.
- To scrutinize carefully state and federal wildlife legislation and regulations and to offer opposition to legislative proposals or federal regulations that are deemed inimical to the best interests of the members.
- To consult with and make recommendations to the federal wildlife and public land agencies in order that federal wildlife management programs and programs involving federal aid to the western states shall be so conducted as to be in the best interests of the western states.
- To serve as a clearinghouse for the exchange of ideas concerning wildlife management and research techniques.
ARTICLE II
Section 1
The membership shall consist of the game and fish commissioners, or their equivalents, and the chief administrative officers of the fish and game departments, or their equivalents, of the States of Alaska, Arizona, California, Colorado, Hawaii, Idaho, Kansas, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Mexico, North Dakota, Oklahoma, Oregon, South Dakota, Texas, Utah, Washington and Wyoming, of the Provinces of British Columbia, Alberta, Saskatchewan and the Yukon Territory. Such individuals shall be hereinafter referred to as "members" and the agencies they represent as "member agencies".
Member agencies shall receive a copy of all proceedings, meeting minutes, resolutions and any other similar document of the Association.
Section 2
Membership in the Association of an individual shall terminate upon the expiration of the member's term of office as a game and fish commissioner or administrator.
Section 3
Persons who cannot qualify for regular membership in the Association may be elected Honorary Life Members by unanimous vote of the members.
Section 4
A nongovernmental organization, institution, foundation, society, corporation or person that supports the objectives of the Association may become a contributing member upon application to and approval of the Executive Committee and payment of annual dues. Contributing members shall receive one copy of the annual transactions and shall have all the privileges of the Association except that of voting when a vote by official member agency representatives is requested.
Section 5
Meetings shall be held annually at the place selected by the majority vote of the member agencies upon recommendation of the Nominating, Time and Place Committee. The annual meeting shall be held during the month of July. Business meetings shall be held during July and January. If conditions warrant changing the time and place of the annual meetings, such a change will be made by majority vote of the member agencies by mail ballot. The ballot shall be prepared and mailed to the member agencies by the Secretary upon recommendation of the Chair of the Nominating, Time and Place Committee and to be counted must be received by the Secretary within thirty (30) days from the date of mailing.
Section 6
Special meetings shall be held on call of the President subject to the approval of two-thirds of the member agencies. Such approval shall be indicated by ballot mailed to the Secretary within thirty (30) days after notification.
Section 7
The dues for each member agencies shall be five hundred ($500) dollars per year. The dues for each contributing member shall be three hundred and fifty ($350) dollars per year.
Section 8
There shall be a registration fee for all adult persons participating in the general or technical sessions of the Association. The amount of the registration fee shall be determined by the Executive Committee.
Section 9
Notice shall be mailed by the Secretary to each member agency and each contributing member before April 1 of each year stating that annual dues are payable. Dues shall be paid by July 1 of each year.
ARTICLE III
Section 1
The officers of the Association shall be a President and a First, Second and Third Vice President, who shall be elected annually, and a Secretary, and a Treasurer who, after election, shall serve until removed by a majority vote of the member agencies.
Section 2
If the President or a Vice President separates from a member agency while serving as an Association officer, their replacement in a member agency shall serve for the remainder of their term.
Section 3
Nominations for office in the Association shall be made by the Nominating, Time and Place Committee.
Section 4
Officers shall be elected by majority vote of the member agencies.
ARTICLE IV
Section 1
Each member agency shall be entitled to one (1) vote, except that where a state or province is represented by more than one agency, operating as a separate entity and paying dues as such, each agency shall be entitled to one (1) vote.
Section 2
Except as otherwise provided, all voting shall be by voice.
Section 3
The vote on resolutions shall be by acclamation unless a poll vote is requested by the representative of any member agency.
Section 4
Except as otherwise provided, the majority vote shall rule.
ARTICLE V
Section 1
There shall be two kinds of committees:
- Permanent - which shall serve during each annual or special meeting; and
- Interim - which shall serve during the period intervening between annual meetings or until the purpose of each such interim committee has been accomplished and it has been discharged by the President.
All committee appointments shall expire at the end of the term of office of the President who made such appointments.
Section 2
A Commissioners Committee shall be established as a permanent committee. The Commissioners Committee shall be composed of the Chair and four other members to be appointed by the Chair to serve until the next annual meeting, provided the four at-large members shall be commissioners from four different states. The Chair shall serve for one year (or two years where the next meeting will be hosted by a member agency without a commission) and shall be the Chair of the state commission scheduled to host the next annual meeting of the Association. The Commissioners Committee shall facilitate ongoing communications among commissioners from member agencies as well as the contribution of commissioners to the objectives of the Association as stated in Section 2 of Article I of the Bylaws.
Section 3
The following permanent committees shall be appointed by the President to serve at each regular meeting and shall serve until its adjournment:
- The Nominating, Time and Place Committee shall be composed of three members, one of which shall be designed as Chair by the President.
- The Auditing Committee shall be composed of three members - the Third Vice-President of the Association who shall act as Chair and two other members to be appointed by the President.
- The Resolutions Committee shall be composed of one member from each of the member agencies.
Section 4
The following interim committees shall be appointed by the President to serve during his/her term of office or as provided in Article V, Section 1.
- The Executive Committee shall be composed of the First Vice President who shall serve as Chair, the Secretary, the Treasurer, the Second and Third Vice Presidents, the Chair of the Commissioners' Committee, and three other members to be appointed by the President. The Executive Committee, as provided in Article II, Section 7, shall establish the amount of the registration fee for the annual meeting and is authorized to make such other decisions during the interim between business sessions as are necessary for orderly conduct of the Association's business.
- The President may appoint such other interim committees and he/she deems necessary or as he/she is directed by vote of the members.
ARTICLE VI
Section 1
The Constitution, Bylaws and Rules of Order of the Association can be amended at any business meeting by two-thirds vote of the member agencies provided, however, the proposed amendments shall be submitted to the Secretary in writing at least ninety (90) days prior to the date of the meeting at which the proposed amendment is to be considered.
Section 2
Upon receipt in writing of a proposed amendment, the Secretary shall mail a copy of said proposal to each member agency at least sixty (60) days prior to the date of the meeting at which the amendment is to be considered.
ARTICLE VII
Section 1
The Association may be dissolved by majority vote of the member agencies at any annual meeting provided that written notice of such a vote shall be sent each member agency at least thirty (30) days prior to the annual meeting.
Section 2
Upon dissolution, the capital assets of the Association shall be liquidated by the Treasurer and each member agency shall be furnished an equal share of the liquidated assets. The member agencies shall use these liquidated assets for the exclusive purpose of preservation of natural resources and for other charitable and educational purposes within the meaning of 501(c)(4) of the U.S. Internal Revenue Code.
ARTICLE VIII
Section 1
Except as otherwise provided, all business of the Association shall be conducted in accordance with Roberts Rules of Order-Revised.
WAFWA - WESTERN ASSOCIATION OF FISH AND WILDLIFE AGENCIES
CONSTITUTION AND BYLAWS
Adopted June 16, 1945
Amended June 17, 1952
Amended June 25, 1958
Amended July 18, 1962
Amended July 15, 1966
Amended July 20, 1967
Amended July 16, 1970
Amended July 13, 1977
Amended July 26, 1979
Amended January 1, 1981
Amended July 22, 1982
Amended January 20, 1985
Amended July 18, 1985
Amended July 7, 1989
Amended January 5, 1991
Amended January 9, 1993
Amended January 8, 1994
Amended July 12, 2000
Amended January 6, 2001
Amended July 18, 2001
Amended July 16, 2002
Amended January 5, 2003
Amended July 29, 2004 |
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